The triumph of Obamacare despite Andy Harris and other do-nothing Republicans.

A Maryland official estimates that more than 30,000 people recently gained private coverage through the Obamacare market in Maryland’s 1st District — health insurance that their representative in Congress, Andy Harris, a six-term Republican, opposed for years. I report this trend to note how clueless Harris has been about some of the people he represents … Continue reading The triumph of Obamacare despite Andy Harris and other do-nothing Republicans.

Winter morning breakfast: How to make crêpe complète.

This is what the French call “crêpe complète,” a comforting and delicious crepe filled with egg, ham and cheese. I learned how to make this from a video a cousin-in-law shot while visiting family in Brittany, the mecca of crepes in France.  de Buyer pan To make this, it helps to have a large crepe … Continue reading Winter morning breakfast: How to make crêpe complète.

An open letter to Baltimore guys with guns

My weekend Sun column is a throwback to something I tried before with some success — an open letter to the unnamed individuals engaged in criminality in my adopted hometown of Baltimore. In 2005, it was a “Dear Drug Dealers” letter, asking people selling narcotics to put down the guns they used to protect commerce. … Continue reading An open letter to Baltimore guys with guns

Reading “The Raven” on Poe’s birthday in Baltimore

Wednesday Jan. 19 is the anniversary of the birth, in 1809, of Edgar Allan Poe. His birthplace was Boston. The Master of the Macabre lived in Baltimore and died here in 1849. On his birthday, in keeping with my stated resolutions for 2022, I hope to read, “The Raven” at his gravesite in downtown Baltimore. … Continue reading Reading “The Raven” on Poe’s birthday in Baltimore

Dear Joshua: What I said about Republicans is still essentially true.

Sharing some of the comments I receive from readers again, here's an emailed letter that arrived from a fellow named Joshua: "Your Steven Sachs column is very well done but, in my opinion, your quip, 'these days integrity seems as rare as a Trump-defying Republican,' is the very type of divisive and inaccurate statement that … Continue reading Dear Joshua: What I said about Republicans is still essentially true.

Rodricks’ Law, Rodricks Plea and now the Rodricks Pledge

Hey, look, when you write a newspaper column, sometimes you get to roll out an idea, claim it was all yours and then name it after yourself. I have no clue if other columnists have done this, but I’ve done it twice and now I’m putting my name to a third, as described in my … Continue reading Rodricks’ Law, Rodricks Plea and now the Rodricks Pledge

Snow day, trash day — and a good deed by a city employee

Here’s a quick story from a Sun reader named Karen Meyers. On a recent winter morning, it perked me up a bit. "I live in a townhouse community in the Keswick neighborhood of Baltimore. I was hunkered down inside during the recent snow and didn't get my trash can out to the parking lot for … Continue reading Snow day, trash day — and a good deed by a city employee

My 20-step plan to cook multiple meals and get the house warmed up at the same time

It's winter so I again offer my 20-step plan for staying warm and sufficiently fed, making optimum use of the stove for heating and for creating several meals. My plan involves a few hours of early-morning cooking, which compensates for the inadequacies of your home-heating system, and you'll get a good workout, an exercise in … Continue reading My 20-step plan to cook multiple meals and get the house warmed up at the same time

Herman Williams fought hardcore, demoralizing racism to become Baltimore’s first Black fire chief

From the Baltimore Sun archives: My column from Jan. 5, 2001, after Herman Williams, Baltimore's first Black fire chief, announced his retirement. The department on Sunday reported that Chief Williams had passed. Information was incomplete, but I believe he was close to 90 years old. PUTTING OUT fires for a living might have been the … Continue reading Herman Williams fought hardcore, demoralizing racism to become Baltimore’s first Black fire chief

We were not finished being brothers

My Sunday Sun column is about my younger brother, Eddie Rodricks. If you want, you can read it by following this link to the Sun’s website. I thought I would post a couple more pictures of my big little brother here. I don’t have more to say right now, except thank-you to the hundreds of … Continue reading We were not finished being brothers